Shaft coupling



March 20, 1951 F. A. THIEL, JR 2,545,562

SHAFT COUPLING Filed July 24, 1946 /N W: N TOR E A. TH/EL, JR.

A 7' TORNE V Patented Mar. 20, 1951 signor to Bell TelephoneLaliora-tories, Iiicbrporated, New York, N. Y a corporation'of New York Application July 24, 1946. set-farms. 685,960

2 Claims.

. This invention relates to shaft couplings and Specifically to a type of coupling in which a? barrier member is positioned between a drivmg and a driven shaft for preventin moisture orotner elements reaching the driven shaft and the apparatus operatively connected thereto.

Most of the failures encountered in electrical 'the driving shaft and which will be simple in construction and cheap to manufacture.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is an assembly view shown with a number of operating parts in longitudinal vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a partial View shown with the connected shafts and a number of operating parts 90 degrees from the position shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line A--A of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows in that figure.

According to the shaft coupling of this invention, a casing C shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is formed of two detachable cylindrical sections l and II formed with hub portions 12 and I3, respectively,

the sections I0 and l I being held in assembled relation to each other by a plurality of screws I4.

A ball bearing l5 fitted into the hub portion l2 of casing section l0 is provided for rotatably supporting a shaft l6 which may be, for example, the driving shaft of an electrical or mechanical apparatus, not shown. Similarly a ball bearing [1 which has its outer disposed race fitted into the hub portion l3 of casing section II is provided for rotatably supporting a shaft [8 which may be the driven shaft connecting with the electrical apparatus in coaxial alignment relative to shaft I6. Shafts I6 and I8 are each provided with an enlarged portion l9 and 20, respectively, the adjacent sides Y and Yl of which are formed obliquely relative to the plane of rotation of the portions l9 and to form clutch elements as will be hereinafter described in detail.

The enlarged portion 19 of shaft I6 carries at spindle 2l'dispo'sed perpendicularly to the obliqfie surface-Y of enlarged portion ['9 for mounting a ball bearing 22 while on the outer disposed ring of this ball bearing is mounted an end thrust bearing 23"engagin' the oblique surface Y of enlarged portion l9 and one side of the steel hardened disc 24. Similarly the enlarged portion 20 of shaft 18 carries a spindle 25 perpendic'ular to its oblique surface Yl provided for mounting a ball bearing 26 best seen in Figs. 1 and 3 on which is rotatably mounted an end thrust bearing 21, the balls of which engage the oblique surface Yl of enlarged portion 20 and the opposite side of disc 24.

A ring of flexible material, such as rubber, as shown in Fig. 1, has its peripheral edge vulcanized between the sections l0 and II of easing C while its inner edge is vulcanized in a circular groove 28 formed at the periphery of disc 24 to form a barrier between the sections l0 and II of easing C and thereby between the driving shaft I6 and the driven shaft l8, while holding the disc 24 against rotation as would be imparted to it by the friction of ball bearings 23 and 2! during the rotation of shafts l6 and I8 but permitting the WObbling movement of this disc from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, 180 degrees from the position in Fig. 1. A ring 29 fitted in an interiorly disposed circular groove in the hub por tion l3 of casing section II serves as a stop for the outer disposed ring of ball bearing I! upon the tightening of a nut ring 30 threadedly engaging the inner periphery of hub portion l2 for the so-called preloading of the ball bearings l5 and I1 and thereby the end thrust bearings 23 and 21 against the disc. 24 and the oblique surfaces Y and Yl of enlarged portion or clutch elements l9 and 20.

In the operation of the coupling of this invention rotation of shaft I6 is imparted to shaft l8 by the wedging action of the oblique surface Y on the end thrust bearing 23, the disc 24, the

In actual use the coupling is supported by awall 31 of the casing housing the apparatus, not shown, while a rubber ring 32 is vulcanized to the wall 3| and to the hub portion [2 of section l9 so as to form a positive seal therebetween at that point.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shaft coupling, a two part casing, a driving and a driven shaft mounted in said casing in coaxial relation to each other, a clutch element carried by each of said shafts disposed in spaced relation to each other, and having oblique opposing surfaces, a stud extending from each of said surfaces, ball-bearings mounted on said studs and having thrust bearings rotatably mounted thereon, said thrust bearings engaging said clutch elements, a disc disposed between said end thrust bearings, a ring of flexible material secured at its periphery between the two ports of said casing and secured centrally to said disc for holding the latter against rotation, and means in said casing for forcing said clutch elements, said bearing and said disc into cooperating engagement, said flexible ring permitting the wobbling motion of said disc upon the rotation of said shafts.

2. In a shaft coupling, a casing made of two detachable sections, a driving and a driven shaft rotatably mounted in said sections in coaxial relation to each other, means carried by said shafts having oblique disposed surfaces forming com-- 4 plemental clutch elements disposed in spaced relation to each other, a stud extending laterally from each of said oblique surfaces and an end thrust bearing mounted for rotation on each of said studs and engaging said oblique surfaces, a non-rotatable disc disposed between said end thrust bearings, a ring of flexible material having its periphery secured between said casing sections and its central portion secured to said disc to form a seal between said sections, and means for forcing said shafts, said end thrust bearings and said disc in contacting relation to each other.

FELIX A. THIEL, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,065,834: Swennes Dec. 29, 1936 2,119,955 Litton June 7, 1938 2,323,569 Rzeppa July 6, 1943 2,395,843 Brown Mar. 5, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 347,676 Great Britain of 1931 

